A lot of classy, intelligent people read this weblog so I thought I'd tap into your wisdom. Here's a situation I encounter almost every time I'm checking out of a hotel…
I call downstairs for assistance with my luggage. A person we'll call Bellhop #1 comes up with a cart and gets my suitcases. I tell him or her (it's usually a him) that I want to check them for later retrieval. He says fine and we go downstairs. He deposits my bags in a room near the Bell Desk and then either he or someone we'll call Bellhop #2 gives me some little tickets with which I will claim them later.
Hours later, I go back to the Bell Desk and give my tickets to Bellhop #3, who retrieves my bags. He hands off to Bellhop #4 who winds up helping me into a cab or car and loading the suitcases into the trunk.
Okay, here's the question: How many of these guys do I tip? My habit has just been to give a hefty one to the last guy and assume it'll be shared with all the others, even if the first couple were on a different shift. Is that the right thing to do?